Best Buy store in Elyria evacuated after threat

ELYRIA — Police evacuated the Best Buy store at Midway Mall on Saturday afternoon after store personnel received two bomb threats within minutes of each other.

“One bomb threat makes us concerned, but when there’s two back-to-back, it becomes a very serious matter,” Elyria police Capt. Chris Costantino said Saturday night.

The times of the bomb threats weren’t immediately available, but both calls were believed to have been made to the store about 4 p.m., according to persons who posted messages to The Chronicle-Telegram’s Facebook page.

Police contacted the Lorain County Bomb Squad about the bomb threats, Costantino said.

After consulting with the bomb squad, it was decided to have Elyria police detectives search the store.

The second call came in while police were hunting for any sign of a bomb or suspicious materials.

None was found, Costantino said.

Best Buy personnel were very cooperative in working with police during the evacuation, Costantino said.

“There was not a lot of time between the two calls as our guys actively looked through the store,” Costantino said. “(Best Buy staff) did a good job of calling us right away.”

Shoppers were allowed back in the store after police completed their search and determined it was safe.

Costantino said police were working on leads in the case but declined to discuss the investigation further.